SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL

Our mission is to meet the most basic necessities of those who come to us in need with the resources we have. Because we have a multi-faceted social service, we are able to meet a variety of needs in one visit. The core of our social services is financial assistance to the poor for essentials such as rent, utility bills, car repairs, transportation, and medical bills, to name a few. We are unique in this way, because we can fund virtually any type of emergency request whereas other social service agencies are restricted to just one service or another, for example. We serve up to four counties in Idaho, but primarily Bannock County. Idaho and, in particular Bannock County, are very poor rural areas. According to the 2018 A.L.I.C.E. report for Idaho, 40% of households in Idaho struggled to make ends meet and 12% were living below the Federal Poverty Level. These are the people who come to us for help. Their precarious financial situation leaves them vulnerable when financial crises hit because they have no reserves or support network and no skills to deal with the crisis. Many of our patrons are homeless or at risk for becoming homeless. We also administer a weekly food pantry offering a variety of nutritious foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen meats, canned proteins, dairy products, and grains. Another thing that sets us apart in the area is the fact that we offer monthly gasoline and bus vouchers to help people access medical appointments and get to work, and quarterly vouchers for free clothing, furniture, and household essentials. Often, young women who are just out of prison come to us for these vouchers to get clothes with which to find work and household items as needed. We can even give people free bicycles if we have them to donate. Some of the people who request our services are on fixed, low incomes or have no income, and many are on disability or Social Security. The rest of our neighbors in need are underemployed and many are females, heads of households. On average, 34% of our social services benefit children and 14% help seniors in need. Our clients include veterans, people with criminal records, the elderly, those with physical disabilities, mental health problems, and addiction problems. We assist all people regardless of ethnicity, race, color, creed, gender, age, or ability. Our hope is that in each person-to-person encounter we have with those in need, we may be able to ease their suffering in some small way according to the resources we have and grow in holiness ourselves in the process.